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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. march — music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com